In the last few years, researchers and statisticians have observed an increase in reading for pleasure; that 'reading is cool again'. As far as this writer is concerned, reading was never not cool. However, it is hard to ignore the increase in conversations centred around a love of reading.

Emma Watson, Dua Lipa and Kaia Gerber (to name but a few) lead book clubs on their socials, #booktok is one of the buzziest areas on TikTok and physical and digital book sales are hitting record highs. Data from Kindle shows that its customers globally have read more than 129 billion pages already in 2025. That's several billion more pages than the same time last year.

And, it's not just because people are having to read for work or university. In Australia, the bibliophile's favourite day to dive into a good book is Sunday, naturally. As for our favourite month to read? Kindle data shows this is unsurprisingly January, with Australians pouring over 1.7 billion pages during this summer holiday period.

It's this thirst for literature that inspired Amazon to create its latest e-reader: the Kindle Colorsoft. A full vibrant colour version of the original e-paper device, and the new handbag staple for RUSSH team.

I got my first Kindle more than 10 years ago. I was nearly finished reading Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and absolutely ready to dive head-first into the second instalment. But I was also in the middle of moving out of home. Taking my entire childhood life and ruthlessly compressing it until everything fit into the 2.8x4 m² bedroom of my new share house. It was clear that the contents of my bookshelf would be going to charity and that I wasn't in a position to add further hard copies, unless they were making my list of all-time treasured tomes.

My boyfriend bought me the Kindle as a moving out gift, and even filled it with some of my cherished stories and also favourite self-published works. It's now scratched-up and coffee-stained, but I still have that device, working just as perfectly as the day I received it.

The Kindle Colorsoft is a new device that builds on the experience of the original Kindle. It gives you full, vibrant colour versions of all your favourite book covers and book visuals. Recipe pictures in cookbooks are new in their original hues, kids picture books can be read with the full-colour imagery, and artworks and maps interspersed in fantasy novels can be viewed as intended.

I was about to head down to sit by the pool when I received my Kindle Colorsoft. I unboxed and set my device up in less than five minutes – and without needing any instructions. I then promptly connected it to my Goodreads account, and downloaded all the books that were already on my Kindle account – and then maybe one or two more. It's so light, I barely noticed it in my bag.

The other features we know and love about Kindle have been enhanced too. You can now highlight your favourite passages in colours like pink or yellow. The device also shows you the commonly highlighted passages. I find it comforting and sweet to know that other people loved the same lines as me. The lock screen features a rotation of coloured artworks, and with the paper-like feel of the screen it's a full sensory experience.

The battery life is impressive. I read every day for two weeks without needing a charge. That's because e-readers with and their signature e-paper displays use far less power than phone and tablets. A traditional tablet or phone display works by literally flashing the display hundreds of times per second to render an image. An e-paper display shows a static image - such as a page of text or an image - until you decide it should be changed by flipping the page. No flashing. That causes far less eye-strain when compared to reading on a screen; an important consideration if you're one of those people who accidentally ends up reading until 1am because you got to a good bit. Another differentiating factor? The Kindle Colorsoft if waterproof, so unlike your tablet, you don't have to feel guilty about taking it to the beach.

Will Kindle ever truly replace the feeling of owning well-thumbed paperback? No, it won't. But it's not supposed to. Most of us will always turn to owning a physical copy of our most-loved and essential books. But for those us who don't have the time to peruse the shops and buy a new $30 novel each week, Kindle is a digital library. An all-hours access pass to a more cost- and space-conscious way to tear through books.

It's the back- and shoulder-friendly way to get all your uni books to and from campus, impervious to a leaky water bottle. It's the easy way to jump between texts and compare highlighted notes. It's the saving grace when you too quickly finished your latest romance novel on a Balinese holiday, and need another one, stat.

Is it really any surprise why this device is the new handbag essential?